Belgian Federal Parliament

The Federal Parliament ( Parlement Federaal larger needles, French Parlement fédéral ) is next to the King at the federal level, the legislative body of Belgium. It is composed of two chambers: a lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, and an upper house, the Senate.

The term " Federal Parliament " as such is not an official designation. In fact, it says in the Constitution only: " The federal legislative power is the King exercised jointly by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate " (Article 36 of the Constitution ). In some cases, however, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate convene in a single organ, which is referred to in the Constitution as a " united chambers."

The Parliament Building

Both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate are since 1830 in the Palace of the Nation (French Palais de la Nation, ndl. Paleis of Natie ) settled. The building that housed the Sovereign Council of Brabant at the beginning, is in Brussels in the former Brabantstraat that / carries the name of Rue de la Loi Rue de la loi today. Directly opposite the Warandepark, which is also called Royal City Park. The building was designed and built by Barnabé Guimard from 1778-1783 and Philippe - Jerome Sandrié in the neoclassical style.

The combined chambers

The bicameral Belgium has one exception: in some cases, which are exhaustively listed in the Constitution, meet Chamber of Deputies and the Senate as so-called " united chambers " together. These cases mainly concern the establishment of the head of state (similar to the German Federal Assembly ).

The Constitution provides: " Upon the king's death, the chambers occur without convening later than the tenth day after his death together." This convocation is done by law. The chambers have already been dissolved, the old chambers shall meet again. After the king's death, there are three options:

  • The heir comes of age: The heir to the throne also comes from the physical and legitimate line of King Leopold I of the House of Saxe -Coburg and Gotha. The primogeniture ( first born ) decides the order of the children of the deceased king. Gender is irrelevant since a constitutional amendment in 1991. In order to ascend the throne, the applicant must provide the constitutional oath before the United Chambers.
  • The heir is a minor: In this case, the combined chamber for the guardianship and appoint a regent care. The regent must also make the constitutional oath before them.
  • There is no heir to the throne: Where the deceased King of the last descendant of King Leopold I (which now only hypothetical ), he was a third party suggest the two chambers as heir to the throne. This can be King by a two -thirds majority in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. If no successor suggested the throne shall be deemed vacant.

When a vacancy of the throne of the " common consultative chambers' first provide a regency. After that, they automatically resolved and re- occupied within two months after such votes. Then only they can meet again and determine a new king.

It is ultimately not to mention two cases which also call for a joint decision of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate:

  • The king wants to head of state of another country are: For this he needs a two-thirds majority in both chambers.
  • The King shall be declared unfit to govern: the king is in the impossibility to rule (eg because he has become seriously ill ), the Minister appointed a chambers after they have this impossibility can be observed. The combined chambers then provide for the guardianship and regency.

History: The National Congress

Its origin is the federal parliament in the Belgian Revolution in 1830. Provisional Government, which was composed of nine members, had proclaimed the independence of the Belgian provinces of the former United Kingdom of the Netherlands on 4 October 1830. While the military positions consolidated and efforts have been to a truce in Belgium elections had taken place in a " National Congress" on November 3. However, were entitled to vote only good 46,000 tax-paying or academic male citizens over 25 years, or approximately one percent of the population. The turnout was 75 percent. The National Congress came together on 10 November for the first time and confirmed on 18 November, the proclaimed on October 4, independence of the Belgian state. An exception was Luxembourg, was the member of the German Confederation. For the first chairman of the liberal aristocrat Erasme Louis Surlet de Chokier was chosen.

The main task of the National Congress was the establishment of a Belgian Constitution, which was adopted on February 7, 1831. He also was the one who made ​​the choice to introduce a monarchy for the young nation. On July 21, 1831 put Leopold I as the first King of the Belgians the constitutional oath before the National Congress from.

The National Congress was until the election of the first Parliament on 8 September 1831 which followed the establishment of the first Chamber of Deputies and the Senate first. The Congress Column in Brussels ( Ndl Congreskolom, French Colonne du Congrès ), which was built in 1850-1859 by Joseph Poelaert should remember the National Congress.

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